The Story of the Greeks

Page: 95

He landed boldly, although he was an exile, and was welcomed with great
joy by all the people, who were very weary of their ruler. When he told
them that he had come to punish the tyrant, they all joined him, and
marched with him up to the palace.

As Dionysius was out of town at the time, they had no trouble whatever
in getting into the royal dwelling. This was hastily deserted by the
tyrant's few friends, who took refuge in the citadel.

Some time after, when Dionysius came back to the city, he found the
harbor blocked by a great chain stretched across it to prevent the
entrance of any ship; and he was forced to retreat into the citadel,
where the angry Syr-a-cus´ans came to besiege him.

Now, Dion had a great many friends, and, as everybody knew that he was
truthful and well-meaning, the people all fought on his side. He was so
strict with himself, however, that he treated his subjects also with
great rigor, and exacted such obedience and virtue that they soon grew
weary of his reign.

Then, too, while he was always ready to reward the good, Dion punished
the wicked with such severity that he soon made many enemies. One of
these was the courtier Her-a-cli´des, who, instead of showing his
dislike openly, began to plot against him in secret.[Pg 214]

Dionysius, besieged in the citadel, was in sore straits by this time,
and almost dying of hunger; for the Syracusans, afraid that he would
escape, had built a wall all around the citadel, and watched it night
and day, to prevent any one from going in or out, or smuggling in any
food.

As Dionysius had no army, and could not win back his throne by force, he
made up his mind to do so, if possible, by a trick. He therefore wrote a
letter, in which he offered Dion the tyranny in exchange for his
freedom. This message was worded so cleverly that it sounded as if Dion
had asked to be made tyrant of Syracuse.

LXXXVI. DEATH OF DION.

Now, after suffering so much under Dionysius and his father, the
Syracusans had learned to hate the very name of tyrant; and ever since
Dion had come into the city, and taken the lead, they had loudly said
they would never stand such a ruler again.

As soon as the letter was ended, Dionysius tied it to a stone, and threw
it over the wall. Of course, it was carried to Dion, who read it aloud,
little suspecting its contents, or the effect it would produce upon his
followers.

The people began to frown and look angry, and Heraclides boldly seized
this opportunity to poison their minds against Dion. He urged them to
drive their new leader[Pg 215] out of the city, and to give the command of the
army to him instead.

The people, ever ready for a change, gladly listened to this advice,
and, after banishing Dion, made Heraclides their chief. Dionysius
cleverly managed to escape from the citadel; and his general, Nyp´sius,
only then becoming aware of the revolution, took his place there, and by
a sudden sally won back the greater part of the city.